Teacher's Pet
by Katana9898
Summary: New school, new life for Sarah Williams, but what happens when she starts attending?
1. Home

College. Every parents dream and every child's nightmare. The possibility of a better future that awaits just at the end of a dark tunnel. The chance to forget about the past with its dark times and focus on the future that you are making for yourself. That is what Sarah Williams wanted. She wanted to forget her recent troubles after her return from the labyrinth. While her and her brother Toby got along just fine, her step mother started to treat her badly. Making her do all the chores in the house when her father was gone, taking care of the lawn, and overall making sure there was no sign of dirt in the home while her step mother, Karen, lounged on the couch watching television. When her father would get home Karen would make it seem as if she had done all the work and received great praise from her husband while Sarah sat in the corner feeling neglected.

That all ended a few days ago when she announced that she got accepted into a performing arts academy and would be moving out shortly. Her father and Karen congratulated her with hugs then asked her where she would be staying. She told them not to worry and that she has found a small house in the country just an hour's walk from the school. At the mention of "country" Karen's smile turned into a scowl. "But dear there isn't a country area for miles! Where will you be going?" She asked hoping to get a better answer. Sarah said very little about where she was moving in hopes that Karen wouldn't get the idea to move everyone with her.

Karen contunied to pout up until Sarah left. Toby ran up to her giving her a big hug with fresh tears streaming down his little face. Sarah knew that this would be hard for him and told him that she would be back in the summer. He nodded slowly before walking back over to his parents which were standing at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the porch, a big shaggy dog sat next to them. The dog watched her with a goofy smile on his face, his tounge lulled out of the side of his mouth and flopped with every breath he took. She couldn't help but smile at her old childhood friend. His eyes were covered by his shaggy hair but she could tell that he was happy for her. Not even two seconds later the taxi pulled into the driveway. Her stuff had almost all been moved to her new house leaving her with a small backpack with her essentials in it. Giving one last look to her parents and dog, Toby received another hug, she entered the car giving the diver the address to the airport. Her hand sadly raised before lightly touching the window as the car backed out and headed away from her former house. Her stomach filled with butterflies at the thought of her new life. Just a few short hours and she'll be there ready to start over.

The plane ride was a little longer that she had been told, a strong storm had moved into the area causing delays, but she had finally made it to her new town! The small college town of Sleepy Hills was just that, sleepy and very relaxing. Stepping out of the small airport she took a deep breath and found the air to have a slight sweetness to it that pleased her greatly.

A little black taxi was stationed a few feet to her right with a man dressed in a suit holding a sign with her name on it. After a breif introduction she was on her way. The driver asked her questions about her life, throwing in facts about her own. She smiled at his friendly behavior until something caught her attention.

They were currently on a dirt road going at a calm pace. Outside of her window was a picturesque view of a mountain range with a large lake in front of it. Surrounding the lake on both sides was a thing wooded area. She looked closely at some figures moving along the lake and found them to be a herd of deer. Jutting out from the mountain was a small rock formation that seemed to have a waterfall running over it. As they drive by it she noticed for a split second that it was hallow behind the waterfall.

The driver chuckled telling her that the lake was called Crystal Lake, very famous for its clear water and wildlife. However it wasnt all rainbows and butterflies. Over the past few years there has been several reports of a dark figure lurking in the woods which caused people to stop going. Search parties were sent out from every corner but could find nothing out of the ordinary. He warned her never to go in there alone especially at night. She nodded her head quickly.

Sarah continued to look out the window as the trees became fewer and fewer while the grass turned from it's dark green to a golden brown. The transition of colors was beautiful to say the least. Sarah was very happy to call this place home. The dirt road became slightly bumpier as the car began to pull into the driveway of her new house.

Sarah's eyes widened when an got a look at what would soon be called home. It was on the smaller side but still had a decent amount of space to it. The exterior was a pleasent brick design with a small porch and stairs leading to the door. Sarah paid the man, who she found out was names Lou, before grabbing her bag and running to the porch. Lou let out a loud cheerful laugh while he waved to her.

At the bottom of the porch she noticed that what she thought was stairs was really just two steps. Facing the frontyard was a long window that let you see the whole yard as well as most of the house. Turning to her left was a double door. A thin plastic one in front of a heavier wooden one. She instantly dug out the keys from her pocket and threw the door open. As soon as she stepped over the threshold he saw saw small closet. Looking down she noticed that the floor was a small slab of smooth stone. When she turned to her right she could see the living room as well as the dining room. The flooring in these rooms were much different that the one in front of the door. These rooms had a soft cream carpet that felt like heaven to touch.

She made her way to a hallway which opened up in between the two rooms on the right side. Down the hallway was four sets of doors, two on each side. On the left side there was the bathroom followed by the master bedroom, the right side had two more bedrooms with one she planned on making Toby's when he visited.

She walked back down the hallway and into the dining room where she saw another smaller hallway to the left along the wall. That hallway led to the kitchen. Two door sat in the middle of the hallways walls. The one on the left had a concrete indoor patio connected to it and the one on the right led down to the basement. Inside the kitchen she noticed that the tiles had black flecks for the design with brown cabinets and a very 70's style countertop which made her smile. The kitchen dipped inward once past the basement and a too leading to thw garage was there.

Turning back to the basement door Sarah undid the lock, flicked on the light, and practically ran down thw stairs. At the base of the stairs was a small ledge which she assumed was for a bar. Next to the bar was the main room. Pink tiles and brick walls didn't really suit her taste but she could always fix that. A doorway to her left led her into another larger room for laundry and other things. She smiled and nodded her head once she finished the tour. "This will do! It's perfect!"

Once she made her way back upstairs she quickly scanned each room making sure the movers placed her furniture in a good position. Much of the furniture was new to her seeing as a lot of her family sent her new things to fill her home. Everything fit in well with the layout. She walked over to the couch, which was against the wall and the window, and plopped down on it. A small box sat on the coffee table in front of her. The box was labeled "decorations" which caused her to smile yet again.

She moved the box to the side reaching for the television remote. She turned to a news station and listened to what was going on in her new town. Everything was relatively calm except for a small fight which resulted in the fighters becoming friends. Sarah laughed at that, sitting back on her couch. She rested there for what seemed like hours before she heard a small scratching from the door. Well actually it was more like a constant thud since the plastic door was closed.

Cautiously she walked over to the door, pulling it open only to find no one there. A soft hum escaped her lips as she started to close the door until a soft meow sounded. In an instant the door was flung back open to reveal a small black and white cat pawing at the plastic door. The cat seemed to be well fed and friendly enough for her to go out and see it. It let out a surprised noise when the door it was previously playing with opened and the young woman stepped out. The cat was very overage looking to her but the thing that caught her attention was it's eyes. The cat had a beautiful set of mismatched eyes. One was blue and the other was bright gold. "Wow arent you a handsome guy." Sarah said stroking the cats head. A soft pur could be heard when the cat suddenly stood up and started rubbing its side against her. She laughed at the cat pacing her porch before it bolted off the porch and away from the property.

Her hand sat just how it was as she tried to understand what just happened. Looking around her she saw nothing strange that could have spooked the cat. With a small shrug she turned back into her house, checking the time. 9:00 her clock read. Normally she would have stayed up until at least 2 in the morning but tonight she couldn't. Tomorrow morning was the start of her first day of school and she wanted to n well rested for it. The lights in the house turned off one after the other until only one was left on. She turned that one off too before crawling into bed and shutting her eyes. Memories of the past few days flashed through her mind as she slowly drifted off to dreamland.


	2. Zeus

The halls of the academy were very quiet with hardly anyone occupying them. Sarah walked around the halls of the academy for a good hour before she was able to find her class. The class was at the very end of a long corridor at the back of the building. She figured that tomorrow she would come through the set of doors she passed a little ways back in order to save time. Inside the class was very small. Tables with 2 chairs each were lined up front to back facing the chalkboard. The teachers desk was up front in the center with a large leather chair behind it.

Sarah explored the room looking into various places a student shouldn't. Eventually she made her way to the back. Bookshelves lined the back wall towering all the way up to the ceiling. A ladder was sitting in the corner of the room waiting to be used by the teacher when needed. Sarah placed her hand along the spines of the books and binders, letting her hand trail behind as she walked. She suddenly stopped when her hand touched a soft fabric that seemed to dip under the pressure of her fingertips.

A large peice of fabric was hanging over what she guessed to be a hole in the wall with a soft rattling sound behind it. She allowed her fingers to slowly push the fabric away from whatever it was hiding until she could clearly see what it was. A large metal bird cage sat in an equally large cubbyhole. The cage shined as the sun reflected off the thin metal bars. Inside the cage was something that made Sarah's heart drop.

A barn owl sat perched on a little ledge making it eye level with her. It's feathers had flakes of blue and silver scattered around which made the already amazing animal even more spectacular. The animal gazed at her stunned face and cocked it's head to the side, narrowing its eyes as if it new something she didn't. Sarah slowly backed away from the bird letting the curtain drop from between her fingers until her back hit a warm solid object. She jumped in surprise when the figure let out an awkward chuckle. "I uh... I see you found the new class mascot." The voice was high and feminine. Sarah's head turned to get a better view of the new figure in the room. The voice belonged to a middle aged blonde woman. The woman had glasses that say on the tips of her nose as well as a thicker figure. Her eyes were a light blue color that made her appear friendly.

"Oh uh yeah I did." She chuckled nervously moving away from the woman behind her. Her mind was still concerned about the bird now positioned begin her, watching her every movement. If it wasn't for her past she wouldn't have though twice about the magnificent bird of prey. A single name kept ringing through her mind and buzzing in her ears. 'Jareth'.

The name chanted over and over again almost driving her mad. "It's very beautiful. What's his name?" Sarah asked. The woman smiled and walked over to the cage, Sarah's eyes watching her.

"His name is Glitter Butt." She said matter of factly. The bird let out a low whine while puffing out it's feathers in disagreement. Her eyes caught the birds movements and caused her to laugh. "Ok ok, his name is Zeus. Cliché I know but it seemed to fit him with his royal blue flakes." The bird calmed down a little at the mention of the name but still remained a little puffed. "'Glitter Butt would have worked too considering how I found him." She stated glancing at the bird then back at Sarah.

"How did you find him?" Curiosity was shown on Sarah's face. The woman continued to smile as she explained that she was in search of a new class pet when she stumbled upon a small pet store. She said that she wasn't in the market for an owl but had fallen in love with him the moment she laid eyes on him. Apparently the shopkeep and put glitter in his cage in hopes of finding him a new home. The name 'Glitter Butt' suited him at the time since most of the glitter had stuck to his rear and tail feathers. "Very charming way of advertising!" Sarah said in between giggles. The bird, Zeus, let out a soft hoot towards the both of them before turning around and keeping his eyes on Sarah.

"Aw have I upset his royal sulkyness?" Another round of giggles came from the two girls when Zeus ruffled his feathers. "Oh before I forget! I'm Mrs. James, your teacher for this year!" A small hand shot out in Sarahs direction which she happily took.

"Sarah Williams, pleased to meet you and Zeus!" His head turned away when she said his name.

"Well Sarah, class will be starting in just a bit. Why not take a seat?"

Students one by one entered the room. Ten including her were in all of her classes. Her classes flew by fast considering she only had five. Acting was the last one of the day and only ran for an hour making it so she got home around 3 in the afternoon. Mrs. James brought Zeus with her to the acting class and left him perched on the back of on of the chairs.

His eyes watched her as she paraded around stage giving one of Hamlet's monologues with such a passion that made her teacher as well as some students cry. At the end of class when everyone was packing up the bird decided to take flight around the room. He zoomed past Sarah's ear before landing back on the chair he originally came from. Sarah froze when he flew by her swearing she heard the name 'Jareth' once more. Her eyes stayed on the bird as he landed, his head cocking ever so slightly under her gaze. Mrs. James suddenly placed him back in his cage and bid everyone farewell until tomorrow.

With Zeus now out of her sight she let out a sigh and followed the other students out to the parking lot. She had a little beat up black car that her grandmother left her in the garage. It wasn't very easy on the eyes but at least it was reliable. Sarah pulled back into her driveway a little after 3 and began to head inside when a small meow grabbed her attention again.

The same cat from yesterday sat on her porch watching her, tail swishing slightly. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she bent down to pet him. The cat purred in delight at the attention he was getting until Sarah stood back up. His little head looked at her with big eyes then towards her door. "I can't let you in. Your owners might not like that." Sarah tried to push past the cat but the little ball of fur was relentless. Letting out a sight she opened the door wide enough for her and the cat to get in. "Fine but only for a little bit. You'll need to go home then, alright?" The cat let out a small meow as if answering her, causing her to giggle.

The cat entered her home cautiously making sure she was behind him. She smiled and lightly pet him. He then ran inside and all over the house causing Sarah to laugh before making sure nothing was breaking. Eventually the cat stopped running around and glanced up at her. "I can keep you here for a few more minutes then you have to leave." She stated. The cats ears flattened for a second then stood back up. He jumped up onto the now sitting Sarah and started licking her hands. She pet him for a little while before deciding enough was enough.

Patting the cat on the rear to get him off she stood and walked towards the door, the cat following. "It's been fun but it's time to go home. I have work to get done." The cat walked by her letting out a soft pur before running out the door and down the street. 'He'll be back,' she thought with a smile closing the door.

Suddenly her phone began to ring in the other room. She ran to the phone and picked it up chiming a short hello. Soft mumbling was heard on the other end almost sounding as if someone was confused with something. Other voices sounded but never said anything to her. She gave them a few moments to say something before she hung up. It must have been a missdial. That would explain why the voices sounded confused.

Sighing, she went back into the living room and turned on the news. Nothing major was happening but there was a threat for tornados later in the week which made her a little nervous. She never dealt with anything like that and didn't know what to do. She decided that she would ask around tomorrow to find out. It was only a little after 7 when the news finally cut off switching to another random local program. A loud yawn escaped her as she stretched. 'Another early night huh...' she thought while walking to her room and turning the lights off.

I know some of these paragraphs are short but I'm doing my best! :D


	3. Dream

Sarah stood in a brightly lit room. The light of the room was so bright that it looked almost as if she was suspended in the air with no floor keeping her grounded. A ringing sound was all that she could here. The brightness and quietness reminded her of a winter's morning with a fresh blanket of untouched snow covering the ground, sun gleaming off the tiny ice flakes. The more she imagined the tranquil environment the more she missed being at home with her family. Winters were always her favorite when she was younger and even in recent years as well. Playing out in the fresh powder, a sweet smell in the bitter cold air always made her smile. She had wanted to show Toby the wonders of the season for a long time but never wanted to risk him becoming ill. Her eyes closed as images of her and Toby playing in the snow flooded her mind.

"Sarah!" Eyes flying open she noticed that she was no longer in the blinding room, but in a big open meadow covered in snow. "Sarah!" The voice called again with a giggle. Sarah spun around in time to catch the small figure as it ran into her, ambracing her in a tight hug. "Let's build a snowman!" The figure cheered. Sarah couldn't help but smile as her little brother came into view in her arms.

Toby tugged on her sleeve pulling her deeper into the meadow. He laughed as they began to roll snow for the base. His little hands picked up clumps of snow and molded them into the ball once it stopped rolling. Looking back at where she once stood, Sarah noticed that all tracks had been covered once more with snow. It shocked her to see but she thought nothing of it. Toby laughed while running around in the snow, his arms stretched out at his side's with his little feet carrying him in circles. A caring smile spread lightly across her face while her hands worked on making the final two balls for the torso and head of the snowman.

After smoothing out the final form, Sarah stood up and reached for Toby. His hands dug into his pockets, producing small buttons and a carrot to decorate their new friend with. Sarah lifted the little boy off the ground which gave him easier access to the head. Pudgy fingers pushed ths buttons and carrot into place. Once finished Sarah set him back down as they both took a step back to admire the craftsmanship in their build. Toby once again cheered and started to run around making snowballs and throwing them here and there. Sarah watched him for a few moments before a sudden noise caught her attention. 'Sarah...'

Eyes wide, she spun around catching a small figure run across the meadow. The black figure ran to be in her line of sight before it stopped and sat down. It was easy to see what it was; a small cat. It's ears twitched as it watched her. It was very hard to see any distinguishing features aside from the outline but Sarah got a familiar feeling when looking at it. The cat stayed seated for a few seconds before standing and running out of sight.

Again Sarah heard her name being called through the wind but this time it as accompanied with the sound of beating wings. It didn't take long for her to see the cause of the beating. A large bird plunked itself down where the cat just was, watching her. Just like with the cat there wasn't much to see just an outline that rippled as though the animal was moving. She couldn't even tell what kind of bird it was not was she given the chance to try and find out. Almost as quickly as it appeared, it dissapeered. However not completely. A small shadow remained in the spot pulsating occasionaly. Sarah watched as the shadow began to grow before her own eyes taking on the shape of a person.

Male or female she wasn't sure but she could tell it was a person. It's head cocked to the side as it seemed to study her. The figures shoulders moved up and down in a way that reminded Sarah of laughter. 'Why is this thing laughing at me?' Ran through her mind as she continued to watch. The figure stopped shaking while moving it's arms out to it's sides a little bit. Two blobs of black cloudy made fell from it's hands landing on either side of it. On the right side the blob turned into the same cat from earlier while the blob on the right turned into the bird. They all watched as her eyes darted back and forth trying to understand what she was seeing. She stood looking at them for what felt like hours before a loud ring ripped though the quiet meadow causing the figure to shimmer then fade away.

Her dream faded along with the figures and before she knew it she was back in her room looking at a ringing alarm clock. Letting out a frustrated grown, Sarah sat up in her bed and slammed her fist on the small red clock. It took a few hits for it to finally shut off but when it did a new ringing filled the air.

This ringing was very much like the ringing from her dream but obviously more real. The ringing was brought on by the absolute silence that surrounded her in her slightly lit room. Outside her window the sun was just barely starting to peek it's head over the mountain range in the distance. Not even the birds were awake yet which surprised her. Back at her old home she could hear birds way before the sun was up and even well into the night. Here on the other hand was very quiet most of the day. Birds hardly made noise unless disturbed, animals that roamed outside her house remained quiet, even the cat that she met was quiet until approached. It was a nice change from home that she welcomed greatly.

Glancing over to the now silent clock Sarah decided to get up and start getting ready for school. She knew it wasn't going to be a long day but she wanted to be well awake for it. It took her a little over an hour to finish eating her breakfast and get dressed. Taking one last look at the clock she sighed before heading out the front door and into her car. Never hurts to arrive early.

~•~•~•~•~•~

I know this chapter isn't as good as it could be but I was really struggling for ideas or anyway to make this more interesting... this chapter might be changed before my next update depending on if I have a better idea for it!


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